The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-03-25

uon? ii conceptions OF the mind were like
human faces, that is, if we could see them
as we see human faces, would we not, as
we do when we look at the faces, discover
that there are no two conceptions alike?
The probability is that if all the concep-
lions were put together, if all the truth in
the conceptions could be looked at as one,
could enter ones thought, that thought
would not include all that this world has
If that is true concerning this world, it
must be true concerning the infinite eternal
energy that We call God, that we call the
supreme power 1t must be true con-
corning that.
.our little systems have their day,
Then they're dead and cease to be;
They are but broken lights of Thee,
But Thou. o Lord, art more than they
Consequently, when person says that
he is governed by seme specific external
rule, that rule being Analysed is not sufii-
cent as he expresses it. There is more in
it than he tells. One man says that he is
governed by an infallble book; anotherby
an infallible spirit; another by an inlallible
church, another by reason; another by
common sense; another by public senti-
n.ent. Now, when undertake to anaIyze
that mans specific belief, when | watch
him in the real things Of life, in his train
ing of children, find it so much more than
the book ever told him; so much more
than the church or the spirit ever told
him; so much more than unaided reason
or unaided common sense or public senti-
mcnt ever told him. SO that to take
single belief properly analysed il the man
were to come more nearly to the truth he
would say II am governed by the uni
verse"
And the equally obvious truth to me is
that this rule is susceptible of improve
ment. If you say that society has contri-
buted to it, or literature, or nature, or the
God of nature, you Immediately confess
that yon do not know all of nature, of lit
erature, or of society There is, therefore,
an opportunity to grow. Consequently
the very process by which this belief, as
the rule of life. is Analysed, brings your
mind into contact with the fact that the
mind must be kept open perpetually to re-
ceive mofe knowledge Of self, Of literature,
of society, of nature and Of the God OF ma
ture. Nobody is able to say truthfnlly
that his belief on any particular point is
perfect until he can Faithfully say 81
know all there is to be known of the
causes that enter into that belief" Do you
this globe at any moment of his existence
could truthfully say that? do not
For man to confess that his belief is
the same to-day that it was yesterday, or
a year ago, is to confess, it seems to me,
almost incredible stupidity, or inciedbls
Incidence. To persecute man because
his belief has changed, seems to me, when
| look at the truth as it comes to my
mind quite as unkind and as thoroughly
absurd as to prosecute healthy child be-
cause it is larger in body and mind to-day
than it was year ago. Perpetual change
is the normal condition, and it occurs to
me that it has not sunk deeply enough in
to the consciousness of even this so-ealled
enlightened age.
Another truth that occurs to me, which
seems equally obvious, is this that this
rule not only gives us reason for rever-
ence, but the process by which the rule is
improved gives us reason for constantly
increasingly intelligent reverence. When
you look at your thought surrounding this
right, and undertake to find out what it is
made of, you respect it, and as your knowl-
edge Of those causes increases you inereas-
ingly respect them, being more and more
based upon reality. SO that if man
thinks it is right on a given occasion to
use iron instead of wood because iron is
better for the purpose, he has a peeuliar
respect for the iron. When he thinks it is
right to use an electric light instead of
tallow candle, to plant living Tree instead
of dead pole, to use horse to make
journey instead of bicycle, TO associate
with good man instead of bad man, it
is because he has peculiar respect for
these things. So when he regards this in
visible universe, and his mind goes to that
infinite, that eternal energy that he knows
so little about, his heart must revere it,
He may toss his hat or keep it on, may
kneel or crawl in the dust or walk up
right, may be silent or shout his thought
and feeling: it matters not, the heart re-
veres in the presence Of such power.
Now when we think of how we treat
inferior powers, it seems to me that there
is reason for treating the supreme power
at least as we'll. We unite in trusting
electricity, in admiring gravity, in rejoic-
ing in the power of the wind and the
wave. We agree in looking at the forces
of nature and gauging our weakness i'll
their presence, in looking at human
nature, being grateful to it, praying to
it, trusting, rejoicing in it, loving, associ-
ating, communing with it-yes, and We
agree and unite in the entertainment of
wholesome fear which continually
prompts us to keep on the safe side of
these inferior powers. Then when think
of that great power that | call God, thar
| call the everlasting Father, when think
that there must come from that power so
much that seems tn me like thOuohf SO